1. Religion in Prisons
A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains
Stephanie Boddie & Cary Funk
Senior Researchers

2. Why Study Prison Chaplains?
•High Religiosity in U.S.
•High Incarceration and High Recidivism
•Little Data
Unique Window on Religion in Prisons
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 2
www.pewforum.org

3. About the Survey
• Compiled “population list” of paid prison chaplains
in each of the 50 states (N=1,474)
• Contacted all prison chaplains in the population to
ask for voluntary participation in the survey
• N=730 prison chaplains completed the survey
• 49.6% response rate
• Web and paper questionnaires completed Sept. 21-
Dec. 23, 2011
• Margin of error +/- 2.6 percentage points
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 3
www.pewforum.org

4. Gender, Race and Age of Chaplains
85% 14%
0 20 40 60 80 100
Male Female
70 18 5 5
0 20 40 60 80 100
White Black Hispanic Asian and other
16 65 17
0 20 40 60 80 100
18-49 50-64 65 or older
Q42, 49-51. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 4
www.pewforum.org

5. Education of Chaplains
Graduate degree 62%
Bachelor's degree 21
Some college 13
High school or less 2
0 20 40 60 80 100
Q43-44. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 5
www.pewforum.org

6. Chaplains’ Religious Affiliation
Protestant 71% %
Protestant 71
Catholic 13
Evangelical 44
Muslim 7 Mainline 15
Historically black 7
Jewish 3
No answer 5
Native American
spirituality
1
Other religion 2
No preference 2
No answer 1
Q46, 47. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE.
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 6
www.pewforum.org

7. Evaluating the System
Thinking about the correctional system where you work…
Works pretty well, only minor changes
61%
needed
Needs major changes 34
Needs to be completely rebuilt 5
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Q2. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 7
www.pewforum.org

8. How is the Prison System Doing?
Rate the job the correctional system where you work is doing in each area
Excellent Good Only fair/poor
Maintaining order 40% 54% 6%
Meeting religious needs 29 50 20
Providing self-improvement programs 14 41 45
Helping prepare for re-entry 8 37 54
0 20 40 60 80 100
Q3a-d. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
8
March 22, 2012 www.pewforum.org

9. What Is Important for Successful Rehabilitation?
% of chaplains saying each is absolutely critical
Treatment for substance abuse or mental health
81
problems in prison
Support from religious groups after release 78
Access to quality religion-related programs in
73
prison
Help with things such as job, housing 71
Access to quality programs such as
69
education, job training in prison
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Q5a-e. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 9
www.pewforum.org

10. Access to Rehab Programs?
In the prison where you work…
Have secular rehabilitation and re-entry
85%
programs
Have religion-related rehabilitation and
62
re-entry programs
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Q13, 10. Those saying no or not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 10
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11. Rehabilitation Programs
Among those who work in prisons with rehabilitation Among those who work in prisons with rehabilitation and
and re-entry programs, % of chaplains who say re-entry programs, % of chaplains who say program
participation over past three years has… quality today compared with past three years is…
Usage Quality
Gone up Gone down Same Better Worse Same
Religion-
Religion-related
related 61% 6 31% programs 57% 7 36%
programs
Secular
programs 38 14 44 Secular programs 36 18 43
0 50 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
Q11-12, 14-15. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
March 22, 2012 “Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains” 11
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12. Frequency of Religious Switching
How much religious switching occurs among inmates?
A lot Some Not much/none
26% 51% 21%
Q26. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 12
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13. Which Groups Are Growing and Shrinking?
% of chaplains saying each group is growing, shrinking, or staying the same
size due to switching in the inmate population where they work
Growing Staying the same Shrinking
Muslims 51 37 7
Protestants 47 42 6
Pagan/earth-based 34 49 8
Native Am.… 24 61 6
Jews 19 61 8
Catholics 14 61 20
Unaffiliated 12 63 17
Other non-Christian 13 65 8
Buddhists 12 67 8
Mormons 3 68 11
Orthodox Christian 3 68 10
Hindus 1 73 8
Q27a-m. Based on all asked, those responding “don’t know” not shown, N=710. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 13
www.pewforum.org

14. How Common is Religious Extremism in Prisons?
% of chaplains saying extreme religious views among inmates
where they work are…
Very common Somewhat Not too/not at all
12 29 58
Q30a. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 14
www.pewforum.org

15. How Common Is Religious Extremism?
% of chaplains saying extremism among inmates of each religious group is…
Very/somewhat common Not too/not at all common
Muslims 57 43
Pagan/earth-based 39 61
Protestants 24 76
Other non-Christian 21 79
Native Am. spirituality 19 81
Jews 17 83
Unaffiliated 14 86
Catholics 8 92
Mormons 8 92
Orthodox Christians 6 94
Buddhists 7 93
Hindus 6 94
Q31a-l. Based on all answering. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 15
www.pewforum.org

16. How Often Does Religious Extremism Among
Inmates Pose a Security Threat?
% of chaplains saying religious extremism among inmates poses a security threat…
Almost always Sometimes Not too often/rarely or almost never
4 19 76
Q32. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 16
www.pewforum.org

17. Kinds of Religious Extremism Encountered
Themes and groups mentioned when asked about the kinds of
extreme religious views encountered
Themes mentioned %
NET Intolerance of specific racial or social groups 41
Racial separatism/supremacists 36
NET Religious exclusivity/inflexibility of faith 40
NET Specific requests for accommodation 28
NET Other view mentioned 22
Groups mentioned
NET Muslim 54
Muslim/Islamic radicalism/Salafi teaching 33
Nation of Islam 21
NET Christian 34
NET Protestant 13
Christian (general) 7
NET Other religions 43
Pagan/earth-based e.g., Odinist 16
Satanism/Demonic 12
Jewish 6
Q30b. Open end. Based on all answering. Most common responses are shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 17
www.pewforum.org

18. Other Topics on the Survey
• Key Activities of Prison Chaplains and What
Chaplains See as Most Important
• Religious Volunteers: Need for and Role in Providing
Services
• Satisfaction with Their Job
• Opinions about Cost-Saving Proposals and the
Second Chance Act
• Inmate Requests for Religious Accommodation
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 18
www.pewforum.org

19. March 22, 2012 www.pewforum.org 19

20. Opinions about Cost-Saving Proposals
% of chaplains who favor or oppose each
as a way to cut costs in correctional system
Strongly favor Favor Oppose Strongly oppose
Non-prison sentences for non-violent, first-time
46 46 7
offenders
Early release for good behavior 35 57 7
Shorten sentences for non-
33 53 11
violent crimes
Cut correctional staff and
4 32 62
programs
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Q4a-d. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 20
www.pewforum.org

21. Requests for Religious Accommodation
% of chaplains saying requests from inmates for each of the following are…
Usually approved Sometimes approved/sometimes denied Usually denied
Religious books or texts 82 17
Meetings with leaders
71 26 3
from inmates' faith
Special religious diet 53 40 7
Religious items or
51 46 3
clothing
Special hairstyle or
28 36 36
grooming
Q29a-e. Based on all answering. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 21
www.pewforum.org

22. Prison Chaplains’ Day vs. Most Important Activities
% of chaplains saying each activity is ranked 1st as…
Most important Spend most time
Personally 57
leading
services 33
18
Administer
programs
38
Q8-9. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”
March 22, 2012 22
www.pewforum.org